Ever since I posted my Tuna Salad with Sauerkraut recipe on social media, everyone has been begging for my homemade sauerkraut, so here it is!
Sauerkraut is a fantastic choice for those interested in at-home fermentation because it’s one of the simplest recipes out there. All you need is some cabbage, salt, and a little bit of science, but once you get the hang of it, it opens the door to all sorts of fun fermented things like pickles or even kimchi!
Before we dive into the recipe, let’s talk about the science behind sauerkraut:
Lactobacillus bacteria are considered “friendly” bacteria, are not harmful to humans and are present everywhere, including on our skin, in our bodies, and on the produce we consume. This bacteria has two critical qualities: it can survive in oxygen-free environments, and it can tolerate salt better than other microorganisms.
To ferment vegetables, such as cabbage, we take advantage of these two qualities – it’s our golden ticket to fermentation! First, we add enough salt to make it difficult for competing microorganisms to survive. The salt then draws moisture out of the cabbage’s cells through osmosis, forming a salty brine. This brine is important because it submerges the cabbage and deprives the Lactobacillus and other microorganisms of oxygen – the second step! Lactobacillus then kicks into something called Anaerobic (Oxygen-Free) Fermentation Mode, converting the cabbage’s sugars into lactic acid while creating by-products like carbon dioxide (this is what makes our fermented products bubble